Saturday, 10 December 2011

A.K. Burns and A.L. Steiner's Community Action Center is a 69-minute sociosexual video incorporating the erotics of a community where the personal is not only political, but sexual. This project is a unique contemporary composition, an archive of an intergenerational community built on collaboration, friendship, sex and art. Burns and Steiner worked with artists and performers who created infinitely complex gender and performance roles that are both real and fantastical, set to a soundtrack of music by Chicks on Speed, Effi Briest, Electrelane, Chateau featuring K8 Hardy, Lesbians on Ecstasy, Light Asylum, MEN, Motherland, NGUZUNGUZU, I.U.D. (Lizzi Bougatsos & Sadie Laska), Kinski and Thee Majesty (Genesis P-Orridge), and featuring original compositions by Justin Bond, Nick Hallett & Sam Greenleaf Miller, Ashland Mines & Wu Tsang, Sergei Tcherepnin and Tri-State Area with AV Linton.

K8 Hardy:

Every gay and queer up and down the U.S. should get a chance to see the video Community Action Center. It will rock their world wide open. The artists behind this radical and pornographic art video want to tour up and down and all across the States and hold screenings and discussions exactly where this kind of imagery is completely unavailable. Just because there is so much pornography online does not mean you can see these kind of sexual representations. This is consent and unabashed pleasure and it's not made by straight men or for straight men. This is radical sexual representation and we need to get it out there! It must be seen outside the art world! Not every gay person can fall in step with what straight people think are acceptable and normal (?) and sadly, shame has far reaching and heart-breaking consequences. This video is explicitly about pleasure and queer bodies and shamelessness and outsiders. I truly believe it can be as important as Our Bodies, Ourselves was in the early 70s and it will educate people and give permission to accept perversities, variations of sexualities, and ... aesthetics!

This is important because not only will people see the video, but A.L Steiner and AK Burns will be there to talk and stand there proudly as living examples of gender queers and unabashed feminists. I write this passionately because I remember what it was like living in Fort Worth and meeting loud ass riot grrrls rolling through town and confronting sexist bullshit and the reality of their presence saved my life. I'm not being dramatic. It's true.

If successful, this fundraiser will take the project on a nationwide screening tour to rural LGBTQ community support centers around the U.S. and provide all 50 performers, musicians & crew members with fees for their contributions to the project. If you believe in paying artists & performers for their work, supporting feminist projects and/or bringing artwork to rural GLBTQ communities - PLEASE DONATE!

With the amazing support of our extended communities, A.K. Burns + A.L. Steiner's project, Community Action Cetner, has reached close to 50% of thier funding - $11,000! They have only 13 days left to raise the rest AND we now, matching funds are available so your fully tax-deductible donations - and the reward tiers - are doubled- $5=$10, $25=$50...

This money will go directly to support working artists & performers (myself included!), as well as rural GLBTQ communities. And the best part is that with any donation over $13 today, you are eligible for unique artworks as rewards, in exchange for your donations!

By donating, funders can receive original artwork, private VIP screenings and performances. Burns + Steiner must reach their goal of $25K by Dec. 21st to be granted any of the money- it's either all or nothing.

Because of the project's explicit queer sexual content, many institutions organizations and funding bodies could not/will not financially support this fundraising effort- but USA Projects has generously and courageously taken it on.

THANK YOU EVERYONE AND WE NEED TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING!!! IF YOU CAN, PLEASE DONATE &/OR SHARE WIDELY- IT TAKES A COMMUNITY!!

Throughout queer history and our current political landscape, there are many milestones to celebrate. Certainly, the Defense of Marriage Act and the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” are significant struggles fought with the intention of bringing equality to marginalized LGBTQ people. However, embedded within the concept of milestones is a traditional linear model of success that oftentimes alienates queers whose lives, identities and desires exist outside the dominate narrative of equality and progress.

Attempts to assimilate into this dominant society will continue to distract and dissuade the queer community from celebrating itself as a distinctly different, thriving micro-society with a network of values, relationships and political and social views. What must we surrender if we are expected to measure our achievements by how well we fit into a straight, capitalist, racist, colonialist, and classist society? How do we build a future based on self-determination and mutual aid? How do we create rituals to validate and celebrate our individual and collective accomplishments? How are we already engaged in these processes?

Best Revenge is a collection of queer events including a lecture series, visual art installations and public performances. To acknowledge the queer manifestation of home, Best Revenge will take place in the imperfect and loved environment of queer households and collectives in the Mission District. We are seeking proposals for lectures/skill-shares, performances, films, installations and queer spaces accessible to people of all mobilities.

Monday, 5 December 2011

Dear lovely European people who may be thinking of contributing to Shape & Situate: Posters of Inspirational European Women zine #3.

Just a quick note to say there's just over a month and a half left to send your posters to me for inclusion in the zine (the deadline is January 31 2012). I hope this leaves you enough time.

Huge thanks so far to those who have sent posters, suggestions, requests to be involved, and general enthusiasm for the project. There's still plenty of time to get in touch though, and the zine will only be as good as we collectively make it. Thanks in advance to anybody thinking about getting in touch and getting on board!

Thursday, 1 December 2011

A totally awesome Bildwechsel advent calendar has been put together as an online end-of-the-year collection of drawing, photography and videos. It's been put together with the help of 31 international artists and friends of bildwechsel.

I love the fact it won't let you cheat and skip ahead a day or two, meaning that I'm now going to visit everyday to see the great art work. Wonderful!